Best Devices for Unified Threat Management

Characteristics of the best devices for UTM are

• Threats package a virus and a worm together in an elusive attack method. An example is My doom.
• Increased network slowdown due to lack of prioritization of traffic. Slow downs are many times caused by users that use peer to peer applications, instant messenger and multimedia applications. This Software contributes to productivity losses, bandwidth consumption and also open vulnerabilities in the network.
• Unregulated internet access can open the internal network to threats. Mal wares, spy ware, Key loggers, VoIP attacks, are some common threats that are present on today’s networks.
• Patches for servers, routers, switches and firewalls are constantly being provided. While these are effective they come too late. The widespread nature of the threats has sometimes shown that patches do not necessarily provide the security needed.
• Security solutions at many points in a given network where attacks are perceived; is not a viable solution. This is due to increased management and overhead costs.
• All the necessary precautions taken at the point of entry seem to be a better option than a distributed realization of security.

The gradual adoption of a Unified Threat Management Appliance as an emerging firewall appliance with intrusion detection, antivirus duties, content filtering, spam filtering and phishing filtering. All in one is a good prospect and the UTM has definite advantages

• Low cost for purchase and updates as it is a single device.
• Less user intervention as all the threats are comprehensively dealt with by UTM
• Mismatched technologies that used to occur with multiple devices are no longer a problem.
• Management of updates and patches are much more coordinated than with multiple devices. Thus reducing the time, complexity and providing an efficient administration.

Appliance you can choose

Review unified threat management device and find whether these devices also have the ability to deal with threats to the laptops and other wireless connecting devices within the network. Many Wi-Fi hot spots are vulnerable and this should not compromise the network. Possible options are

• Separate wireless devices from wired device thus creating two separate networks. Management and security issues can be dealt with by providing controlled access points.
• VPN technologies is another emerging technology that can be adopted

Many new players are emerging in this new field of UTM appliances and some of them gain instant acceptance and sales because of some advantage they have over the others. They may be successful when one threat has breached the defenses of other machines but has not touched systems it protects. It may also be that they offer more facilities or ease of management. Whatever be the choices the present leaders that you can choose from are

• Secure Crossing - Zenwall Unified Threat Appliance
• nCircle nTellect for Cisco IDS/IPS
• Fortinet's FortiGate Systems
• Proventia Integrated Security Appliance
• Network Box

Take a close look at the various threats that you encounter and see whether your UTM appliance offers you the ability to check that threat. Also look at the ease of management and response time toward these attacks. With these criteria in mind the choice you make may be the best unified threat management device that suits your needs.

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